New Hartford Board Adopts School `Targets'

NEW HARTFORD — The board of education held its first public comment session on the 1997-98 school budget Tuesday, but only two people took advantage of the opportunity to address the board.

One asked the board to continue its emphasis on technology in local schools and the other asked that the school district continue its Teaching Literacy Competence, or TLC, language arts program.

Tuesday's school board meeting was the first of what will be a series of opportunities for residents to discuss the spending plan. School Superintendent Tim James is scheduled to present his proposed budget to the board at its Feb. 4 meeting and more public sessions are to follow.

In an effort to guide James as he prepares the tentative spending plan, the board adopted two working documents at the meeting that contain the board's ``targets'' and ``guiding principles'' for the 1997- 98 budget.

The documents, culled from lists drawn up by individual board members, represent board priorities in the areas of curriculum, class size, staff development and training, the school calendar and safety.

The lists may well be changed as the budget process moves forward. As board Chairman Ira Kline said, ``We're going to be playing with these as we go along, for sure.''

The budget for the current school year was approved last year at about $4.2 million.

In other business Tuesday, JoAnn Delaini, citing increasing family and other responsibilities, submitted her resignation from the board, effective Feb. 5. Delaini has held a spot on the school board for six years.

Also Tuesday, Cindy Fixer, a representative of the Connecticut Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance and the Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, gave local physical education teacher Walt Moore a 1996-97 Outstanding Fitness Program Award.

Moore, who has been teaching physical education in the district for 27 years, was cited for the Super Stretch program he developed about 15 years ago. He was one of six state gym teachers to receive the honor. Moore received a plaque and a proclamation that will hang in one of the local schools.